If Manhattan defined New York's substance and business prowess, then Abids was once the Hyderabadi equivalent, sometimes resisting change, sometimes cheerfully embracing it. And Taj Mahal hotel is a fabled establishment in this part of town, almost representing its ethos.

The hotel campus is vast for a budget hotel, and old-school, with the alluring 'Pan Teyla' (a shop selling betel leaves stuffed with flavored betel nut that can be pretty addictive if you overdo it) and bustling newsstands adorning it, while the facade is neo-ethnic with all that Victorian splendor blending fluently with modern elan.

The hotel also has 20 well-furnished rooms, all with no-nonsense, play-it-safe decor and in light colors, all vintagely done, spacious and value-for-money. The rooms fall into 4 categories: Heritage Suite, Jr. Heritage Suite, Standard Deluxe and Deluxe rooms. The Heritage Suite has a living room, a bedroom with a king-sized double bed, a mini bar, a flatscreen TV and a well-fitted bathroom complete with a tub. Junior Heritage differs in that it has only one spacious room that doubles up as a living room too.

In the conventional rooms, the Standard Deluxe ones have the same amenities as the suites except for the absence of bathtubs, while the Deluxe version doesn't have either the minibar or the bathtub. The rooms and suites are all priced exceptionally reasonably.

It's a no-brainer that its ever-popular darling restaurant is the USP of this hotel - one of the foremost veggie restaurants in town offering a lavish spread of all the delectable south Udipi dishes. Adding further merit to the hotel is a medley of conference/banquet facilities, guest services and features. There are 3 banquet venues, Akshaya, Celebrity and Vintage, with a combined capacity of 750.

Taj Mahal is a proud and gloriously built value hotel. Nothing is harsh here, be it the staff, the food, the rooms or the ambience. And it is conveniently located for travellers in that the Nampally railway station is just a jog away.